Lately I’ve been really getting into podcasts. They’re a perfect way to wind down before bed, or to just have on in the background as I sketch, write, or try to make my room less of an absolute mess. It took me a while to find some I truly loved, so I thought I’d share the five I keep coming back to and that keep grasping my attention.

Souls At Sundown

This one is my latest find, and it’s unlike any others I’ve previously listened to. Hosted by Meghan Hughes, it’s probably the most chill, relaxing podcast I listen to. Simply, it’s just Meghan playing some great tunes and having a chat about life. Listening to this podcast feels like you’re one of her pals, hanging out, listening to a variety of Music genres and catching up. Other than finding some amazing new music, what I love the most about this podcast in particular is hearing about all her thoughts and opinions on different topics, ranging from sexual harassment, to the books she’s been reading lately. Meghan has this way of pulling you into every opinion she expresses and every story she’s telling, even if it’s as mundane as taking her dog for a walk.

Great for napping. Great for finding new music. Great for learning a thing or two.

The Mindful Kind

If you’re someone like me, who’s been told time and time again about how great this thing called ‘mindfulness’ is, especially for anxiety, but don’t find meditation the most exciting or easy task, this podcast will help immensely. Rachel Kable expresses so many different techniques and ways anyone can implement mindfulness, whether you have anxiety, general stress, or just want to try being more present in your life. She’s found a perfect balance of being informative and relatable, none of the techniques and ideas she puts forth are overly overwhelming, but they are extremely helpful and insightful. There’s episodes for all kinds of situations and areas where mindfulness can be implemented. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to follow along, and how simple tips can lead to so much self development and self love.

Crash On My Couch

I’ve already spoken about this podcast in a favourites post, so I’ll keep this brief. Essentially, this is a podcast about everything from treasure hunts and conspiracy theories to ‘idiots of the week’, badass things animals do and weird products that emerge from Japan. It’s a cluster-fuck of the strangest, but most entertaining stories, and Arden and Will bounce off each other better than any other podcasting duo I’ve come across. If you’re looking for something that’s pure entertainment, but sometimes oddly educational, I can’t recommend this one enough.

The Heart of It

Estee Lalonde has a way of making everything she touches magical. While she might not be the most educated in every topic she discusses, like feminism, strength, protests and identity (to name a few), she doesn’t pretend to be this ‘know all’ being, and invites guests who are so insightful and interesting that you get immediately drawn into the conversations and find yourself learning a lot. The podcast is one of the most professionally produced ones I listen to, and the editing is incredible. The music, the background noise, really help create imagery within the listeners mind and makes the experience a bit more immersive. You can really picture exactly what they’re talking about, and feel the atmosphere. Honestly, props to the production team for this one. Incredibly beautiful, well thought out and executed. I’m excited to listen to the episodes to come, and I can really tell that Estee has put so much of her heart into this project.

Nerdist

If you love anything Pop Culture, this is the podcast for you (though I think the name itself gives that away). The whole podcast is essentially Chris Hardwick interviewing a range of pop culture icons, actors, musicians, comedians, and so on and so on, but it’s so entertaining. I usually find a lot of interviews, unless done with some of my favourite ‘celebrities’ incredibly boring and repetitive, but Chris has a way of creating conversations with his interviewees that feels like friends catching up. It’s casual, often hilarious, and you feel like you really get to know some of your favourite people a little better. My personal favourite interviews so far have included Steven Yeun, Mark Hamill, Daniel Radcliffe, Robin Lord Taylor and Tatiana Maslany but there are many, many more I’m yet to listen to. Literally. There’s hundreds.